“We have held constructive discussions with our key landlords and strategic partners and will now seek creditor approval on our CVA proposal. A priority for us is to keep all potentially affected colleagues informed during this difficult time.”

A CVA proposal is where a company enters into a legally binding agreement with its creditors, such as their suppliers or landlords, to delay payments and buy more time to fix the business.

Many of the stores under threat of being shut down are large centre of city and town outlets where rents are likely to be higher.

These include flagship stores at London’s Marble Arch and Oxford Circus.

The list of proposed closures, below, also includes many of the chain’s menswear standalone stores.